These are all great ideas. The problem, which I haven’t heard anyone address, is that all these places want to see a portfolio of your work. If you’re just starting out, it’s not likely you have one. In my case, I did extensive technical and creative writing for my previous company but it was all considered intellectual property for them, thereby preventing me from including it in any personal portfolio of mine. How does one build a portfolio if you already need one to get started?
BizScript SEO is looking for some creative web content writers to join our team! MUST HAVES: -Strong knowledge of SEO and SEM -Strong writing and grammatical skills -Knowledgeable on WordPress -Is okay with helping upkeep our blog by posting one article a week on SEO or SEM -Very responsible and has GREAT time management skills Being a start-up, we are looking for freelancers with adjustable, low rates but who are interested in helping our business grow. We aren't looking for freelancers that just want to do one project. We want to form an on-going relationship with you and allow you to be part of our team. As of right now, we will only require your for 5 to 10 hours a week.
This is my foot in the door and I’m following some of your other tips in order to get myself out there even more. I’m an introvert, so this is new and difficult for me. I have questioned myself countless times and am feeling a bit impatient, but I’m trying to trust the process and take it one day at a time. The warmth and encouragement that come through in your writing have helped keep me going. Thank you Elna!
Although some online and technical colleges offer degree programs in web design, many of the skills you need can be self-taught. However, there are some technical design elements that you’ll need to learn and can help you stand out. Before investing thousands in a degree program, you may want to check out some of the web design courses on Udemy instead.
“I love working for TTEC@home, I’m a single parent who moved to a new state where I had no family or friends. I started a job where I felt like I was working just to pay daycare for my four-year-old son. My son hated the daycare and I never had time to spend with him. I was referred to TTEC and I'm in love with it. Now, I put my son on the bus and log in for work. By the time I get off work, my son is almost home. It’s wonderful!”

Hi Elna I am interested in writing. In high school I actually wanted to become a writer for photography, blogs,health, creative writing. But now about 8 years later I have no experience and no schooling but would love to get into it. Where do I start even creating a portfolio? I’d love to take your class but unfortunately I do not have any upfront money for that. Thank you in advance if you reply.

OK, if you’re really, REALLY hungry and need to make ends meet that month, and that’s all you’ve got currently, I’ll allow it. But otherwise? Your skills and time are worth far more, and there ARE clients out there who will recognize and honor that. Hold out for the good ones. (See: my upcoming article on how we writers need to learn to value (and insist on the value of) our own talents higher than we often do.) 🙂
There are plenty of freelancing websites where people put their talents up for sale. But Fiverr is the go-to spot, thanks to its millions of users and brilliantly simple premise. “Rather than acting as a labor market, Fiverr works like an e-commerce platform, where services are offered as products,” says Aimy Ngo, Fiverr’s business development and marketing strategist. “This makes it easy to control what you will provide and how much to charge.”
A few other things I plan to try: 1) buying cheap advertising in some niche publications where writing services aren’t usually advertised but the need is high; 2) adding an online content store to my author’s website I’m developing, so I can sell ready-made content directly to clients (kind of like Constant Content but without the middle man); and 3) pitching to website developers who might want to offer content services as a package deal to their clients. I have no idea if any of these strategies will work, but it’s always better to do something than nothing, right?
Ugh. I’m so sorry to hear that. You’re not the only freelancer to have gotten lured into one of those sites. My rule of thumb, even as a newbie, was never to accept less than $10 for every 100 words, unless it was a fantastic gig that would get me good exposure. Even if you don’t have a portfolio, you should only take on projects you’ll be proud to show to other people when they ask what you’ve done. It sounds like you are creating good work right now, but unfortunately, it’s for a client who totally doesn’t deserve it.

Social media managers build communities for companies on social media, engage these communities in conversations (for example, getting a lot of comments), and encourage them to take some sort of an action (like reading a blog post, signing up to an email list, or buying a product). Social media managers also play a vital role in building brand awareness for a company.